Redwood
by theSoundofLiterature
Summary: The Glee Club goes on a camping trip, and Rachel is less than thrilled. However, she unexpectedly finds comfort from the person she least expected to.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is finished! I have one more chapter left to add to it, so expect that sometime tomorrow, and if not tomorrow than by the end of the week. Gosh, been so busy with the new school year at college and moving in/out – I've been totally slacking on my stories. Will have updates for WB, Trauma, and Come Back Here by this weekend, so sorry to keep you all waiting! Please don't hold it against me lol, **

**I love all of your comments and words of support for what I've written so far – so thank you all so much now, enjoy, there will be more to come. Camping Faberry!**

**3 - TSoL**

Rachel stepped off of the chilling coach bus and frowned up at the murderous clouds overshadowing her. She carried her bags with difficulty as she made her way down the steps, frowning as she felt a cool hand shove her from behind – prompting her to lose her balance and careen down towards the dirt road below, her penny loafers skidding in the mud as she barely landed on two feet.

"Move it hobbit! Coming through."

Santana smirked as she descended the stairs behind the smaller brunette – her scowl imminent and unremorseful as she passed by Rachel, smirking as she watched the brunette fawn over her dropped belongings weakly. Rachel disregarded her – the fact that their entire Glee Club had ben relegated to this _camping _trip had already rendered the diva in a foul mood. She wouldn't let Santana or any of the others faze her more than need be.

She watched as all the others made their way down to the dirt road, followed up by Mr. Schue and Coach Beiste holding up the rear – holding their clipboards and smiling out at their surrounding vegetation and forestry.

"We made it! This is going to be a great trip everyone – I know it seems unnecessary now, but camping is one of those great outdoor bonding experiences, and I think it's something that we really need as a collective team – to build teamwork and camaraderie!"

No one was paying attention. Rachel sighed as she watched her fellow Glee Clubbers curse and whine under their collective breath at Mr. Schue's enthusiasm. Camping was a terrible idea. Actually terrible – when she turned to look back up after sequestering her fallen items it was to see Puck and Finn sitting against a tree forlornly, and a scowling Santana. Tina was leaning against the overlarge bus along with Kurt and Mercedes while Mike and Artie flanked the headlights. She paused as she skirted over Quinn – the blonde ex- cheerio was sitting, propped up atop her large WMHS duffel bag with her legs crossed, she was deathly immersed in a book, and her eyes were somewhere else entirely – and suddenly the blonde was looking up with fluted eyebrows – her mouth morphed into a disgusted grimace as she flicked through the pages and looked up towards the darkening sky.

Rachel followed the blonde's gaze – and frowned herself as she felt a cold droplet punctuate her cheek – as it fell down her skin another came to take it's place – and that's when she could her Mercedes' cry for help – the other diva's outburst was wild and accusatory, and completely directed at Mr. Schue.

"Oh HELL no Mr. Schuester. I am not about to get all Crocodile Dundee in this rain. I know I AIN'T the only one who felt those drops of water. I paid entirely too much for this weave."

Mr. Schuester smiled apologetically at his students as he collected his camping pack and led the way down the road towards the campsite with Coach Beiste in tow.

"I'm sorry Mercedes, but that's the point of nature! It's wild and beautiful and unpredictable - you'll learn to love it by the end of the week, I promise."

The diva scowled as they all followed behind their chaperones, covering their heads with their sleeves as they tried to hurry out of the impending rain. Rachel inwardly cringed at the booming of thunder that wasn't far off in the distance. She could already tell this was going to be a _great _trip.

/ - /

Rachel struggled as she tried to put the stakes into her wuthering tent. The rain was still misty and so she had time – but only minutes before the impending downpour. Why she had been sequestered into a tent all by herself she didn't know, but as she huffed against the dirt and the canvas of her tent she ran over the sleeping groups in her mind.

Lauren, Tina – Tent #1

Mercedes. Brittany – Tent #5

Santana, Quinn – Tent #6

Rachel – Tent #4

Puck, Artie, Sam – Tent #2

Finn, Kurt, Mike – Tent #3

They had been positioned in groups by tent number and tent size by Coach Beiste, and initially the thought of being given the only single person tent in the Club was enthralling, but now as Rachel tried to get herself together, the thought of being alone frightened her. She looked over her shoulder at the adjacent lots as she watched her peers work together on their tents. She could see Mr. Schuester helping out the boys on the boys side of their campsite – Coach Beiste was doing the same by the girls, and now she was making her way over to the tiny, grumpy brunette.

"Hey Rachel – you're the only one who doesn't have their tent up, everybody else is almost done, I figured I'd bring you over some help while I go look for Brittany – poor girl wandered off somewhere talking about a rainbow and leprechauns. If that isn't the toast to my broccoli I don't know what is."

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion – Coach Beiste never seemed to make much sense. But before she could dwell on that thought she was confronted by sensibly adorned feet blocking her immediate field of vision; she looked up quickly to stare into the eyes of Quinn Fabray – the blonde looked sweaty and tired, but somehow managed to pull it off with grace and classic ethereal beauty, Rachel shook her head.

"Jeez Berry, why isn't your tent up yet? Can't you feel the rain, you know this isn't a leisure event don't you?"

"I'm sorry Quinn that I happen to be sanctioned by myself, against my choice or judgment. It's not my fault that I have _no idea_ how to pitch a tent, and that no one has even offered to help until now – and even so, Coach Beiste forced you over here."

Rachel watched as the blonde sighed audibly, clearly showing her annoyance – but to her surprise Quinn didn't retaliate, she watched curiously as the blonde lowered herself to the ground and commenced to help Rachel stake and align her pathetic tent. The brunette watched curiously for a few moments as Quinn worked in silence before being snapped out of her thoughts.

"Oh wonderful, sit back and watch Quinn do all of the work. Get your ass over here Berry and help – or I'm leaving."

Rachel nodded wordlessly and watched Quinn's quick hands – copying her every move as the two girls worked their way around the tent purposefully.

After twenty minutes of staking, snapping, and bending her tent into place – a sweaty Rachel grinned at her success, she placed her small hands on her hips and sighed at a work well done. She cornered Quinn out of the corner of her eye – the blonde too had a wistful look on her face before turning to Rachel – her eyebrow quirking up as thunder boomed against the tumultuous sky above them, the storm was much closer now.

"You put a tarp underneath this thing, didn't you Berry?"

Rachel crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. Tarp? What tarp? She thought – and that's when she remembered – just before beginning to pitch their tents Coach Beiste and Mr. Schue had been adamant about using the tarps in their tent bags because of the storm tonight – but in all of her confusion she had forgotten, and now she was panicked. But she couldn't let Quinn know she had been totally foolish in her initial tent planning.

"I –I, of course I did Quinn. Mr. Schuester and Coach Beiste were both adamant about flooding tent safety and how to take the necessary precauti -"

"Can they diatribe Rachel… I get it. You have a tarp."

Rachel shut her mouth quickly and nodded, staring down now at her muddy penny loafers. She inwardly groaned – they would be irreparable, and when she looked up again Quinn was staring up at the storm clouds – Rachel was reminded instantly of the way the blonde's eyes looked so captivated when she was reading her book after descending from the bus – her eyes were the exact same now, except she blinked profusely at the falling raindrops as she looked up above them. - she looked wistful and ethereal, and Rachel was again captivated, and confused by her own captivation.

"What were you reading earlier?"

The blonde looked back down and turned to Rachel – her eyes were clear as day, and it was refreshing to be caught into their gaze. Rachel gulped unknowingly – unsure as to why she was suddenly so compelled to ask. She blushed out of embarrassment.

"What?"

"I'm sorry – I didn't mean to pry. I caught you reading a book earlier today after we all got off the bus – you looked like you were thoroughly enjoying it, I'm just being curious. But forget I asked."

"Robert Frost, a collection of poetry."

Rachel widened her eyes in ill – kept surprise at the blonde's taste in literature, it was far from what the brunette had anticipated, and more of an answer than she had even expected.

"Oh….I didn't know you enjoyed reading poetry Quinn."

The blonde averted her gaze and let her hands fall into the pockets of her WMHS zip up before sighing out of her nose and wiping her hair behind her ear.

"We aren't friends, how could you? … the rain is starting to really come down now Rachel, you should hurry up and get your things inside your tent."

And with those last words the blonde ex-cheerio was gone, heading back quickly to seek out Santana so they could get the rest of their belongings inside of their shared tent before the rain started. Rachel stared back at her, and watched her go with curious eyes. And it wasn't until an hour later when Rachel was tucked inside of her sleeping bag with her iPod and sheet music set before her, and the rain pounding rhythmically against the walls of her tiny tent that she would realize something profound – Quinn Fabray had called her Rachel. Twice.

/ - /

Damn. It. All. To. Hell.

Rachel woke up to discover that her tent was severely flooded. Her sleeping bag and clothes were drenched as she heard the thunderous booming outside, followed by bright flashes of lightning and rain. She shivered against the cold as rain pelted her tent and seeped under the soil – flooding out her tarp less tent. She was scavenging for her belongings, desperately hoping to salvage them from the creeping water - she yelped as she shivered and kneeled in two-inch deep inundation. One glance in her compact mirror and she screamed – she looked like a drowned Chihuahua.

And in minutes there were sodden footsteps approaching the entrance to her tent. She yelped in excitement at her potential saviors and opened the flap to find Coach Beiste and Mr. Schuester standing under an overlarge umbrella in large yellow ponchos and rain boots with concerned looks on their faces.

"Rachel, are you alright?

She could hear Mr. Schue's muffled voice yell through the call of thunder. She flopped through the water and answered him as she floundered.

"Mr. Schuester, does it look like I'm okay? My tent is flooded, I look like a drowned rat, I'm freezing, it's 3 o'clock in the morning, and my sheet music is _ruined_."

"It's Ok Rachel, alright grab your things, and we'll relocate you to another tent for the night – and we'll deal with this one in the morning."

She heard one of them say, she couldn't tell who it was, Beiste or Schuester but she quickly grabbed her bags and hurried out of her pathetic, flooded tent and into the rain. Coach Beiste tucked her under her umbrella and walked her briskly over to another one of the girl's tents. Rachel watched helplessly as Coach Beiste entered the tent - the brunette could hear talking and soon she was ushered inside and given a warm towel and a blanket. When she looked up to see whose tent she was relegated to for the night, she was surprised to see that it was one Quinn Fabray.

She could tell that the blonde was royally pissed off – but she couldn't be upset now at the blonde's anger - she was simply overjoyed to be out of the rain and out of her soaked sleeping bag. Within seconds Beiste was gone, and now Rachel was left to her own devices – which consisted of shivering in her wet pajamas and sweats while covered in a towel and staring directly at a sleepy, irritated blonde – who happened to be staring back.

"What happened to the tarp Berry?"

Rachel squinted at the reversion back to her last name – it confused her that she actually felt at a loss to the fact that Quinn hadn't called her Rachel. She shrugged her shoulders and huddled up into a ball again – shivering in her drenched clothes. Rachel looked around the larger tent and her eyes fell on an empty sleeping bag directly adjacent to Quinn's own and she turned back to Quinn with confusion etched in her features.

"I thought - where's Santana?"

The blonde shrugged her shoulders – in those few minutes much of the irritation had run out of Quinn's posture and tone, and Rachel could tell that she was reverting back to feigned indifference.

"Snuck out at lights out tonight – hell if I know. But knowing San, she probably won't be back until morning, if at all. Take her sleeping bag – you look like you need it."

Rachel had begun to oblige, but soon shook her head once her shivering started up again – her teeth rattled with the cold as she looked over her drenched sweat bottoms and pajama shirt – she felt like crying – all of her clothes were wet and un-wearable. She felt at a total loss. She looked up with watering eyes around the dark tent and jumped when she felt warm hands envelop her pajama top.

"What is – What?"

And then she could smell Quinn Fabray's signature shampoo around her, and she became aware that the blonde had moved forward and was now beckoning her to remove her top.

"Ugh…seriously L Word, don't get the wrong idea – you just reminded me of those lame infomercials of children starving in Africa and Cambodia with that withered, sad, pathetic look on your face. Take off your clothes, I have something warm you can wear for the night."

Rachel nodded in the darkness and lifted her arms over her head, letting the blonde do as she pleased. She felt a warm, soft t-shirt descend over her now bare arms and torso (she was still wearing her bra of course) and relief flooded her. And then Quinn was helping her out of her drenched sweatpants, and into new dry ones. Rachel sighed and melted into the dry, warm fabric - she felt the need to hug the blonde for her hospitality (could you give hospitality in a tent?) but refrained, simply settling for a warm thank you before snuggling up into the empty unused sleeping bag that Santana had left behind.

She heard Quinn mutter a small "you're welcome" before climbing into her own sleeping bag right next to Rachel. The small brunette closed her eyes then and fell asleep quickly to the sound of rainfall and to the smell of Quinn Fabray on her body.

/ - /

The next day had been terrible. Aside from the good news that her tent had been dried out after being set out in the blazing sun all day long before being sequestered to air out by the campfire that night during s'mores.

The night before had been somewhat surreal for the brunette – she had woken up curled up into Santana Lopez's sleeping bag and surrounded by Quinn Fabray both figuratively and literally. She had awoken practically on top of the blonde – who at the time had still been asleep. But Rachel couldn't help but feel awkward at the subconscious invasion – she twitched at the close proximity of their faces, and the way their sleeping bag enveloped bodies molded together throughout the night - Quinn managed to look effortlessly beautiful at all hours of the day apparently, concluded Rachel as she sat herself up and sagged into her palms.

Nonetheless, once the blonde had awoken – she was not a morning person apparently –Rachel had to contain her giggles at the blonde's unmanaged bed hair as she meandered around the tent – she spent her early morning efforts trying to find clothing for the diva to wear since all of her clothes were still drenched. And that is how Rachel ended up on a daylong hiking adventure wearing yoga pants and one of Quinn's many WMHS Cheerio hoodies.

The hike had become the bane of Rachel Berry's existence. She did not hike. And by the end of it she had to be carried by Brittany down the mountain because she was so exhausted. By the time dinner rolled around – Rachel was even grumpier. She grimaced at the display of the simple taco/burrito dinner, willing herself not to gag at the ground beef as it warmed and cooked on the small kerosene burner. Let's just say that Rachel was left to her own lettuce, and tomato taco/burrito devices.

One good thing that came of the night before, was that Santana was none the wiser. The Latina had never come back that night, and was oddly caught sneaking out of Tent #5 (Mercedes and Brittany) at the early hours of the morning by Rachel's wandering eyes. Curious to say the least – somehow, the little diva had an inkling that Santana would never really be returning to her original living arrangements.

And so, after shared s'mores and songs at campfire – Rachel was once again assisted by Coach Beiste and Mike Chang with her newly dried out tent; she remembered the tarp this time and once all was said and done, she curled up into her now dry sleeping bag and laid back against the fabric pillow. She was still wearing Quinn's sweatshirt, and for some reason simply couldn't find the will to pull it off. She had to secretly admit to herself that she had grown strangely fond of it over the course of the day – it smelled strongly of Quinn, and her shampoo, apricot and vanilla maybe? She wasn't so sure, but all she knew is that it was warm and soft – and better than any of the sweatshirts she had.

And so she fell asleep – her senses lulled by the smell of one blonde ex- cheerio as her eyes fluttered to a close.

And not soon after, she was being rustled awake by someone rattling at the zipper of her tent – she bolted upright and her eyes widened in panic at the unwelcome intrusion at this time of night.

"I have a rape whistle!"

And then she could hear someone sighing exasperatedly on the other side of the entrance, and Rachel physically calmed and exhaled – even with the blatant berate-ment of her late night "attacker."

"Rachel…really?

And then the front flap was pulled down to reveal a very tired looking Quinn – who was now entering Rachel's small one- person tent, sleeping bag and pillow in tow. Rachel opened her mouth to question the blonde's arrival but could only gape in wonder and confusion as she watched the ex- captain re-close the flap and then re-position her sleeping bag and pillow on the floor before climbing in and cuddling up with a book that seemed to come out of nowhere. After a few minutes of awkward gawking, the brunette finally found the strength to form words amidst the darkness – save Quinn's tiny book light.

"What are you doing here? You can't just barge into people's tents unwarranted Quinn Fabray, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

She watched the blonde - Quinn did nothing as she flipped the pages of her novel. Rachel tried a different approach then, she scooted closer to the blonde in her sleeping bag and looked up at her, noticing that the book was the same Robert Frost anthology that she had mentioned the day before.

"Will you read some of that to me?"

Quinn looked up then and turned her hazel eyes onto the brunette's barely visible ones in the dark and nodded almost imperceptibly – and then Rachel's tent was filled with the sound of Quinn Fabray's voice as she ghosted and melted over the words written clear as day on the pages.

"LOVERS, forget your love,

And list to the love of these,

She a window flower,

And he a winter breeze.

When the frosty window veil

Was melted down at noon,

And the cagèd yellow bird

Hung over her in tune,

He marked her through the pane,

He could not help but mark,

And only passed her by,

To come again at dark.

He was a winter wind,

Concerned with ice and snow,

Dead weeds and unmated birds,

And little of love could know.

But he sighed upon the sill,

He gave the sash a shake,

As witness all within

Who lay that night awake.

Perchance he half prevailed

To win her for the flight

From the firelit looking-glass

And warm stove-window light.

But the flower leaned aside

And thought of naught to say,

And morning found the breeze

A hundred miles away."

The brunette had closed her eyes as the poem cascaded around her, and she was too sad to hear the end of it, as Quinn's voice finally tapered off into silence.

"That was beautiful – he was always a lovely poet."

Quinn nodded in the darkness before flipping the page in her book light. Rachel watched her curiously as her eyes grew heavy – she was still confused as to why Quinn Fabray was _here_ in _her tent_, because in the words of the blonde, they weren't friends, and one freezing night and the pitying gifting of warm clothes was not enough to erase that. And so Rachel watched silently, looking for an answer amidst the bizarre.

"I couldn't sleep."

Rachel nodded as she closed her eyes – their sleeping bags were strikingly close again, but the brunette was too tired for it to matter. Her eyes drooped closed as she tried to listen to the blonde despite her sleep overcoming her.

"I thought I heard something outside of my tent – it freaked me out, and San's gone again. Yours was the only tent I thought I could go to where I could at least get some sort of privacy. – so don't flatter yourself Berr – Rachel." 

She nodded in her state of half consciousness as she curled further into her sleeping bag – wrapped up in Quinn's overlarge sweatshirt. She smiled unknowingly as she drifted off to sleep just as the blonde was shutting off her book light and preparing for bed. The last thing Rachel remembered was Quinn crawling down into her own sleeping bag and cuddling up directly against Rachel's sleeping bag - reveling in their shared warmth, away from the world.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: ok I lied. I broke it up into 3 chapters so that they wouldn't seem so disjointed. One and two used to be two drastically different lengths, and so this one is in a group of 3 – that way it feels more spaced out. Hope you all enjoy :)**

**- TSoL**

The birds had woken her up – scratch that, actually _one_ bird in particular had woken her up. She grimaced at the loud screeching of its birdsong and tried covering her head and ears with her pillow to no avail. After fifteen minutes of failure, Rachel Berry had given up, and as she cradled her head out of her sleeping bag – it was then that she remembered that she was not alone. She paused as she set sight on Quinn – the blonde had fallen asleep with her cheek against the page of her book, Rachel smiled at the rawness of it all. She smiled because she felt happy – if you asked her then what it was that incensed her happiness so much, she wouldn't have been able to tell you – however in reality, she really would have simply been too terrified to accept the truth of the matter.

And so with no truths and no complications she sighed as she watched the blonde sleep. She forced herself not to overthink Quinn's arrival the night before – and she bit down the realizations that were beginning to boil within her mind. She had to save that for another day – she wasn't sure she would be able to handle that on top of this camping trip. Emotions could only hold for so long.

But then there she was… her body scooting inside of its sleeping bag – moving in the frame Rachel's own. The brunette looked over quickly and realized the blonde was still very much asleep – but now their covered forms were cuddled together, and Rachel could smell the vanilla and apricots of Quinn's shampoo as strands fell and warped across her arm. She began to feel tense inexplicably and watched in horror as the blonde ex-cheerio let out a fluttery sigh as she snuggled in deeper – molding their forms together completely. Rachel couldn't let this continue.

"Quinn." She whispered. It was to no avail as the blonde simply turned her head. Rachel was determined, she tried again.

"Quinn Fabray!" She watched in annoyed agitation as the girl failed to budge, and then the bird was back – fluttering above her tent somewhere in the trees, whistling it's horrendous birdsong for their tired ears. Rachel cursed the bird in her mind before simply giving up as she felt Quinn cradling against her, and as she heard the terrible screeching of that _thing_ that simply wouldn't shut up. And then she heard her.

"God - Rachel, shut uppp."

It was mumbled and weak, and raspy with in-use – but Rachel was incredibly attracted to that voice suddenly – she tensed again once she realized what that might mean, and she cleared her throat in an attempt at composure. She scrunched her eyebrows as she watched Quinn cover her ears sloppily as she tried to rid her eardrums of the offending birdsong outside.

"Can it Berry. I'm trying to sleep!"

Rachel wasn't privy to reply to the sleepy blonde at all – but being blamed for a song and voice that were most definitely not hers was inexcusable – especially considering the fact that she sounded magically wonderful, while that_ beast _outside was wailing like a raccoon in heat. And so she cleared her throat loudly and sat up quickly in her sleeping bag – watching as Quinn's body that was huddled against her own fell unceremoniously to the hard floor of the tent at the sudden loss of contact.

"Excuse me, but when have I ever sounded like a cat in heat while singing? I am offended that you would even_ consider_ the fact that that bird outside is me."

Rachel heard Quinn growl into her pillow as the bird outside whistled again for a mate that obviously wasn't coming.

"Whatever…make it shut up."

Rachel huffed and shook her head – she grabbed her clothes and made off for the campground toilets and quarter-operated showers without answering. She was grumpy and confused… and…. And…. confused. A shower would have to do for now because she couldn't stand to be in a sleepy headed Quinn Fabray presence right now, she simply had too many questions to ask that neither girl were prepared to answer.

/ - /

Another day of hell. This was hell – she was sure of it.

Of course it had been Puck and Finn's brilliant ideas to go fishing down at the river, and mostly everyone had obliged since they had finished their group rock climbing adventure for the afternoon. Rachel was completely against it. Her body ached more than she could have anticipated from the day's activities and she was miserable as she scratched at mosquito bites that were ubiquitous on her small body. Rachel Berry didn't belong here at all – she was born for the stage, not the forest.

What made it all the more terrible was that when she had returned early in the morning to her tent after her shower it was to find it completely empty – Quinn was gone, and the brunette kicked herself over and over again for feeling abandoned and distraught at the blonde's retreat. They could never really be friends – and today had mostly proved that point as Rachel watched solemnly as Quinn avoided her over and over again as if she had contracted the plague.

And now she sat forlornly against a large fern as she watched her club mates fishing in the cool water of the small river. Puck was making obscene gestures towards Lauren and Santana with his fishing pole while Finn laughed and Mr. Schue attempted to break it all up. She watched, as Kurt grimaced as he cast his line, unwilling to bait the hook for fear of severe traumatization. Mike and Tina shared a fishing line as they held one another along the river bank – and Rachel smiled slightly at the image of Artie showing Brittany how to reel in her line if she caught a fish.

"Am I gonna catch a blue fish?"

"What -?"

"That's what my Doctor says. One Fish, Two Fish, Red fish, blue fish."

"Dr. Seuss?"

"Yea, Duh – he's my pediatrician."

The brunette smiled as she listened attentively to everyone around her – concealing her hurt and confusion and disgust of the hunting sport all the while. Her dark eyes would occasionally ghost over to a large rock overlooking the river bank where she spotted Quinn Fabray, sitting in the sun and reading her Robert Frost anthology. Every now and then she would catch the blonde looking over at her, and the two would exchange a brief connection, a linking of irises before the spell would break. This only added to Rachel's unease as she witnessed Sam pulling the first catch of the day out of the crystal water. Her mind wandered back to the mysterious blonde as whooping and cheering sounded in the background.

/ - /

Campfire on that warm third night was slightly better than Rachel had anticipated. Dinner was still horrid – bass, straight off of the St. Clair river. Again the brunette was relegated to veggie duty, mushy canned peas and tender carrots. They had all sung together around the campfire again that night, ending it out with scary stories and legends – mostly from Artie and occasionally from Santana. The brunette couldn't help but enjoy herself in the company of her friends - and however unsettling it was that Quinn was still isolating herself and casting glances her way – she decided earlier on that she wouldn't let it bother her.

After another hour of campfire stories and warm embers it was lights out - Rachel yawned as she made her way over to her tent, kicking off her shoes and sweaty clothes, and opting for sweat bottoms. When she reached to grab a sleep shirt her hand momentarily wavered over Quinn's WMHS hoodie. It was still there, propped up against the brunette's duffel. She sighed, and grabbed it - pulling it over her head slowly and sadly as she made her way into her sleeping bag. She could still faintly smell Quinn on it, faint and evident – and the confusion was back - what was it that had changed? Rachel closed her eyes in the hope of shutting off her thoughts and drifted into a soft slumber, cradled in her sleeping bag.

/ - /

A few hours later Rachel woke up with a start. The thunder was murderous and the flashing lightning brightened up the expanse of her tent. She flinched as she could have sworn she saw something moving outside of her tent just as the rain was beginning to start. She chalked it all up to nerves and forced herself to calm – but another flash of lighting ended her. She sprinted up and bolted out of her tent towards Quinn Fabray's - her fears far more important than her social sanity.

She pawed at the entrance and let down the zipper when she heard a muffled whine. When she entered the tent in a haze she paused – because she was in Quinn Fabrays tent – and apparently of her own free will. Her mind blanked – why was she here again? And then the thunder boomed again, making itself present on the dark horizon, and that's when she yelped and hurried over to Quinn's side, squeezing herself against the blonde's sleeping bag - burying out the noise.

"What the F Rachel?"

Oh right - This was Quinn's tent, which had to mean that this person she was cradling was Quinn Fabray herself. Rachel gulped for air, she was deeply embarrassed by her weakness as she looked up into angry hazel eyes.

"I deeply apologize Quinn, I don't know what came over me - the thunder woke me up and terrified me, and I could have sworn I saw a vicious animal lurking outside of my tent as I escaped."

Quinn was still angry, but she answered in a huff.

"It was probably just a stupid deer – God, Berry. Get. Off. Of. Me."

Rachel then became painfully aware of just how completely she had invaded the blonde's personal space. Quinn was only halfway immersed inside of her sleeping bag, and so Rachel was cuddling with Quinn _directly, _her head buried deliciously against Quinn's pale neck. She jumped back quickly; her cheeks and ears flushing with embarrassment as she finally gave Quinn a proper once over. The blonde had been reading – and she had most definitely interrupted quite unceremoniously - and yet, she still had no will to leave.

"Can I stay?'

It had come out of her mouth before she could even think to take it back, and Rachel was shaking her head with wide eyes – fully expecting the blonde to kick her out now. And to her surprise – that was the farthest thing from the truth that Quinn Fabray actually did.  
>Rachel watched as Quinn's eyes turned compassionate almost – almost accepting – the walls behind them bending to her will perhaps – and she got lost in them as Quinn dropped her eyes and nodded her head.<p>

"Whatever….Santana took her sleeping bag with her when she left earlier at lights out."

However uncaring that "whatever" sounded, Rachel beamed – thankful for the darkness – she knew Quinn, a "whatever" was a "yes" in disguise, and it meant that Quinn wasn't quite as repulsed by her invasion as she thought she was. But before she could properly revel in her own revelation she was hit by the second half of Quinn's answer - Santana took her sleeping bag with her. Which meant that Rachel would still have to leave, or sleep on the floor. And almost as if the blonde were reading her mind, she unzipped her sleeping bag and folded it out to its capacity before covering it with an overlarge blanket. Rachel watched as Quinn climbed beneath the makeshift covers – her eyebrows quirking in question at Rachel's immobilization at the foot of the sleeping bag.

"We can share I guess. - hop in, I'm going to bed."

Rachel worried her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded her thanks before obliging. Tucking herself under the blanket slowly, her hand skirting over Quinn's back accidentally as she positioned herself comfortably. She paused - staring at her traitorous hand - panicking at the way her fingers tingled with heat at the mistaken touch. It was almost like fire.

"I- I'm sorry."

She mumbled disjointedly as she hit her head against the pillow in embarrassment as Quinn turned her body around to face Rachel - the brunette couldn't read the blonde's expression in the darkness, but she widened her eyes when she felt familiar warm hands tracing over her sweatshirt. Correction: Quinn's sweatshirt.

"You're still wearing my favorite sweatshirt."

"You never asked for it back."

Quinn laughed then – how oddly refreshing Rachel thought in the darkness, she was pulsing with radiation as she could still feel the blonde's hands holding on to the guilty sweatshirt absently.

"Steal much?"

She laughed out as Rachel smiled bashfully in the darkness. She moved to brush a lock of hair out of her face and her hand skirted across a solid object – she grabbed it, noticing that it must have been Quinn's book of poetry. She smiled and picked it up, flipping the pages in the dark – hoping for light so that she could peruse it's contents. And then there it was. Small and bright in the small tent – Rachel looked up at a wistful Quinn, the blonde's lips quirked up into a tiny smirk as she eyed the worn book held between Rachel's soft hands.

"I see you found Robert."

Rachel dropped her eyes to the cover, and let her fingers trim through the pages – she caught sight of copious notes on the margins – all written in fine, elusive cursive, obviously Quinn. This book was old – this book was important, Rachel nodded.

"Read to me again?"

The blonde nodded and grabbed the book out of Rachel's hands letting her head roll to the side so that they were really facing each other as she brought the book light up to one of the many dog eared pages. And like a song, Quinn's voice was there again – floating over words like water on a vast ocean, rippling and undulating softly, and deeply - tearing directly into the brunette's heart.

"Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice."

"Hmm…how intriguing…." Rachel let the word fall off her tongue as she raked the poem over in her mind – it was beautiful, it was classic Robert Frost – and yet as Quinn's words fell over the prose there were messages hidden in between the lines, and Rachel's heart beat faster as she closed her eyes – imagining it all.

"It's one of my absolute favorites – I read it at least once a day."

The blonde sounded wistful, and Rachel looked up to find that same compassion in hazel irises that she had seen when Quinn sat perched atop her duffel, and when she sat sitting atop that rock on the St. Clair river bank. She asked a question that she couldn't seem to reign – not knowing at all what it could mean.

"And what makes you identify with this one more than any of the others?"

It was an innocent question, but Rachel could tell that she had left Quinn feeling charged and self- conscious. The emotion in the room shifted, and she could sense the blonde willing herself to pull back - and to her own surprise she never did.

"I would think it were obvious Rachel. Listen to the words. I know hate – I know it all too well – I've been on the delivering and receiving end of it's sword. Hate has power – hate is painful, hate can break a person. I could have broken you…"

"But that's not what the poem is entirely about, it isn't just about the power of hate – there's more to you than that Quinn – you surely don't believe that you're that evil do you?"

Quinn had closed her eyes and sighed through her perfect nose. It was endearing, and Rachel felt the unwelcome need to comfort her – she settled for wrapping her arms around her torso – encompassing herself evermore into Quinn's sweatshirt.

"Rachel – don't kid yourself. I was a vile human being – I was terrible to you. The fact that you can lie here with me as If I'm forgiven, baffles me more than you can ever know because I know I won't ever be capable of that kind of compassion."

Rachel felt her eyes grow heavy in the realization of how self deprecating Quinn Fabray truly was – her unhappiness made Rachel unhappy – and the brunette frowned.

"But desire – the poem talks about the fiery truth of love and desire. You've had that in some capacity Quinn. Come on."

"True, I've tasted desire. I'm filled with it – I'm almost overflowing with it. But it doesn't mean that I can release it. I may never have to the chance too – and that Rachel is the rub. Desire turns to hate without the proper consideration or relief. Perhaps - too far, was too far for me."

Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand and embraced it, squeezing it between her fingers and letting their joined hands fall between them. Quinn closed her eyes to the touch and Rachel inched into the blonde's heat, wrapping her up in small, warm arms – she could feel Quinn sigh against her shoulder, and Rachel's tired eyes fell droopily. And as their collective breathing evened out she couldn't stop herself from tucking a stray strand of blonde between her ears before whispering as she nodded off into sleep.

"I think you're wonderful." And as she nodded off, she felt soft lips brush against the skin of her neck softly – almost in thanks as her breathing shallowed. Rachel smiled, drunk with sleep and exhaustion as she soon fell asleep tucked safely between Quinn's arms.

/ - /

The next day was better. They all sat around all day playing games and joking. A day of leisure in the hot sun – Rachel found herself joining in on the impromptu dirt volleyball game by the river bank, as the girls sunbathed by the water. This she could get used to – she caught herself smiling blindingly at the blonde next to her. Every few minutes she would turn and catch those hazel eyes that she was growing to love and miss. She bumped shoulders with Quinn, who was sitting at her side listening to her iPod as Rachel watched the boys' volleyball game. Quinn smiled back up at her just as often – and somehow the sun had gotten hotter? Because her skin was inflamed.

Their second to last night – campfire was fun and predictable, but as lights out came around, Rachel was shocked at how giddy she was in anticipation for seeing Quinn. It was odd how they had spent every night together so far. She couldn't fathom a night of not having one another to cuddle into. She would most definitely feel at a loss in more ways then one – but before she could make her trek back to her home tent – she felt herself being dragged by mysterious hands out towards the woods. She made to scream at her kidnapper – but failed as large hands worked to cover her mouth. She was just about to reach for her rape whistle when she heard laughing and yelling.

She was then pulled into a clearing where a small bonfire was set up in the middle of a few logs. All of the other glee clubbers where there, and as she was released she turned around to see her captor – Puck. She hit him against the arm before slapping him boldly in the face.

"You could have killed me Puck! What were you thinking?"

"Holy shit little Jew - it was just a joke. I didn't want you to miss out on the festivities."

And that was when Rachel turned and actually comprehended what she had walked into. The entire Glee club, save the chaperones (who were likely passed out in their tents) were sitting around a campfire drinking from two large bottles of a very questionable identity – and now that she thought about it, Artie was smiling a little crookedly as she made eye contact with him. – and that's when it clicked – they had all been drinking.

"You're drunk Noah!"

"What isn't new babe? Stole this from my Aunt Bertie last week before the trip, thought it might come in handy. Now, you better get your pretty little ass over there or else you're gonna miss out on all the fun."

She shook her head in protest but was carried over by both Puck and Sam to the bonfire, and she was set down directly between Quinn Fabray and Mercedes. She looked up at the blonde and instantly calmed when Quinn smiled back at her reassuringly – handing her over the bottle that was lying aimlessly against Puck's backpack.

"Don't worry – loosen up a little. I'll be here."

Rachel inwardly sighed as she accepted the bottle – taking a quick swig of the alcohol, and cringing as it burned a blazing path down her throat. She coughed at the taste and wondered how anyone in his or her right mind could actually love the taste of it.

As time dwindled on everyone was getting properly drunk – and as the inhibitions fell – the party games increased in variety, and content. Now they were playing "Never Have I Ever" and it was Santana's turn to call out the questions. She sneered drunkenly at her luck and passed a devilish grin around the circle of glee clubbers maliciously before beginning.

"Never have I ever masturbated."

Rachel blushed dangerously as she lowered a finger – she smirked when she saw that almost everyone else had done the same…except for Quinn. They all laughed at one another and took drinks – and it took a few moments for the collective group to realize that the blonde was the only one not partaking. Rachel stared at her sadly - Quinn smiled sadly back before Santana shrugged her shoulders at the blonde.

"Well that's a fucking shame… and fucking depressing."

Quinn averted her gaze, and Rachel scooted closer, letting their fingers brush slightly against the grass.

"Never Have I Ever kissed a girl."

Santana was smirking now as she dropped a finger – Brittany was giggling along with her, and Rachel kept her hand up as she watched everyone else's digits go down save Mercedes, Lauren and Tina…but that meant. Quinn – she had kissed a girl. Rachel tore her wide eyes up to look at Quinn, the blonde quirked an eyebrow at her.

And before she could open her mouth in question the next round was up.

"Never Have I ever fallen in love with someone in this room."

Rachel gulped. This question was oddly personal - she scowled at Santana, even though the Latina didn't really seem to be paying much attention. Rachel watched as Puck's digit went down sadly as he shot a glance at Quinn. Mike and Tina lowered theirs as they butterfly kissed, and Santana gave an all to loving look at Brittany as the two linked their pinkies. Finn stared between Quinn and Rachel in confusion not sure whether to lower a finger or not. His split with Rachel had been difficult – but at the time the brunette knew that it was right, and that it wasn't fair to string him along if at all any longer. She sighed as she turned her eyes to Quinn. The blonde was looking directly at her now, and Rachel watched curiously as the blonde lowered a finger slowly.

Rachel smiled – sure it must have been either Finn or Puck that Quinn was referring too – and yet she couldn't help but feel dejected at the symbolic admonition. As Rachel turned to hear the next round she frowned to see everyone in a state of drunken unconsciousness – or looked up in steamy embraces of love. She frowned at Quinn and watched as the blonde lifted her head in signal that she was leaving and that she wanted Rachel to follow. Rachel nodded and latched on to the blonde's hand as the two of them made their way back to Rachel's tent for sleep – she would leave the other glee clubbers to their own devices for the rest of the night – plus she had Quinn.

And as they crawled inside of her tent and then into her sleeping bag the anxiety hit. What was this? Were they even friends? What did it all mean?

But before she could let her evil thoughts wander there was a familiar shake of the zipper– Quinn, masked by the moonlight as she walked over and unzipped Rachel from her sleeping bag – laying it out like a blanket and then falling down into it – wrapping herself up in Rachel completely.

"Hi Quinn."

The blonde mumbled out an indecipherable muffled reply and Rachel laughed. She could feel Quinn stirring at her side, with her arms wrapped tightly around Rachel's torso and midsection. Her eyebrows were squinted and she looked angry – but her voice was light and playful.

"What's so funny?"

Rachel laughed again before squeezing Quinn back – her eyelids already drooping now that her sleepover buddy was present. And yet there was that constant nagging in the back of her mind that told her that she and Quinn were becoming more than "buddies." But she couldn't let that overcome her senses, or else all would be lost.

"Don't be alarmed. I think I'm drunk."

She shouldn't have given all of that way but her mind compelled her to, she felt as the blonde squeezed her back softly - laughing now in Rachel's place.

"Me too."

And then Rachel remembered the game they had just left, and the last question lingering on her mind pulled and pricked at her inebriated consciousness – and she smiled sinfully as she opened her mouth to ask the blonde.

"Who were you in love with Quinn?

The blonde shifted her weight and placed a soft – somewhat sloppy kiss to Rachel's exposed collarbone in the dark. The brunette immediately tensed – that felt amazing whatever it was. But this was Quinn Fabray. Drunken Quinn Fabray. Things like this didn't happen on Glee Camping Trips if at all.

"Quinn?"

Rachel whispered against blonde strands of hair – she didn't get an answer and so she continued calling out the other girl's name softly – but with each admonition came another kiss, they were trailing up her neck now leaving melting craters in their wake as Rachel shivered.

"Quinn, what are you -?" A soft finger was pressed to her lips to silence her as soft lips nipped and licked and sucked at her exposed neck in the darkness of the tent.

"I've wanted to taste you for so long Rachel – you taste amazing. Better than I could have ever imagined." Rachel moaned into the touch – sparking her insides to hold tight and pull at her. She was getting so turned on right now, and she didn't want this to ever stop.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And here it is! The end. I'm sorry it's a day late. Got way too caught up at work to even think about staying up to post this. But it's here now , I hope you all enjoy – and thanks for reading. It always puts a smile on my face.**

**- TSoL**

"Quinn…" Rachel moaned out through clenched teeth as her heart rate ascended to an unsteady rhythm as the blonde worked fervently and lovingly at her throat and neck. Kissing her softly and as sweetly as one could while intoxicated. Their thrumming bodies ignited together under the stars visible through the canopy of Rachel's tent and the brunette sighed – releasing her hands from their solitary location against the sleeping bag and up into Quinn's hair – pulling her body down to meet her own, and smiling as rosy lips came up to hover above her. She could feel the blonde's breath skirting across her own lips and cheekbones and she inhaled it vigorously. Perhaps this had been "it" all along – that nagging feeling in her heart that had proclaimed itself at the beginning of this trip when she had first set eyes at Quinn reading atop her duffel bag.

Her eyes scanned the ethereal face above her, and her irises blew out as Quinn opened her own – the hazel within burning with soft embers as those eyes scanned over the brunette below with much more than unbridled lust – much, much more. And before she could catch herself Rachel was bringing their lips together fiercely – moaning throatily as the contact set fire to her from within. She used her hand at Quinn's nape to toy with the baby hairs curling her fingers – her skin was so soft, and begging to be touched in return.

Rachel felt Quinn trail her tongue against her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, obliging to it's entrance – their tongues danced together at a languid pace – a slow burn – Rachel could feel her insides writhing, and she clutched at the blonde harder still as the fire escaped. She opened her eyes again and stared in awe as she saw and felt the blonde above her – tensing as their bodies fought for shared desire – and then she quite literally lost her mind. All pretense and worry lost as her mind was overtaken by her lust - and her love? Did she love Quinn Fabray?

Her hands travelled south and caught the blonde's t-shirt vigorously, pulling at the hem of it quickly and working faster as she heard the blonde's breath catch in temptation as her shirt was being pulled off over her head.

"Just returning the favor."

Rachel whispered before re-attaching their lips. She gasped as the blonde suddenly detached their lips and locked them onto the brunette's earlobe – breathing wantonly into her beating eardrum, licking behind it as she moaned at the brunette's touch – and Rachel almost came undone right then and there.

Rachel arched off of the sleeping bag at the sensation, brining her leg up as her muscles tensed again – and without even realizing it, she was _there_. Her knee digging into the apex of Quinn's thighs, hitting her squarely where she needed it most, directly against her jeans. She heard the blonde gasp and then whimper at the new sensation, her head dropping into the crook of Rachel's neck as absent minded nothings fell from her lips in between quiet moans. Rachel shivered as she felt the blonde losing herself right at the corner of her ear, she shifted again, letting their bodies twine together – sending Quinn reeling once more. She was beautiful when she was coming undone. Gorgeous, Divine, Prodigiously Marvelous. And she craved the sound of it – her core aching at the sight of it – Quinn Fabray grinding down against her thigh, half naked in a bra and jeans – moaning wantonly against her neck as she placed sloppy, desire laden kisses there – lingering in the after burn.

Rachel could suddenly feel hands all over her body, tugging under her (correction: Quinn's) sweatshirt. Pulling it up slowly to tread hotly up her abdomen as she grinded back against Quinn in return. And now Rachel was the one moaning, as their centers brushed thickly in between their pulsing legs – separated by jeans and underwear. It was almost too much, and they were still mostly dressed.

Rachel's head fell back as Quinn tugged the sweatshirt off of her heated body – and then the hands had stopped their assent and Rachel looked up panting – catching sight of bright hazel eyes swimming in a sea of black, glowing as they fell to withhold Rachel's torso and bra covered chest - she felt as though she would be completely devoured.

"You're beautiful Rachel."

She barely heard the coveted whisper before rosy lips fell to the skin of her abs, sucking quickly with hot flecks of tongue, marking her skin for good – forever. She sighed at Quinn's voice, husky and full of promise as her want and her desires boiled over the surface. The brunette gasped as she felt a hand ascend to her bra to cup at her breasts – begging for them to free themselves. She arched into the touch, yearning for the pressure – for something to ease the burning of her lust in the dark….

And that is until a large shadow obscured her vulnerable vision – Rachel's ears picked up on the noise before her eyes could sense the incoming obtrusion. She felt Quinn panic above her before drunkenly stumbling over to fall behind her, unsuccessfully hiding her half uncovered body from view of the door that was quickly being opened before them.

"Rachel, are you i-"

Coach Beiste. She let out a loud yell towards the door in an effort to still their chaperone's hands on the zipper – buying the two of them much needed time.

"Coach Beiste! No – don't open the flap, I'm changing!"

"Oh…you're here. Good – I heard a ruckus and decided to do my nightly rounds a little earlier than usual tonight. You haven't seen the other kids around have you?"

Rachel reached for the entrance of the tent and peeked her head out shyly – effectively obscuring her own and Quinn's heated bodies from the coaches view as she answered the question quickly.

"Oh – of course not. It's just me and Quinn here. We were…um…reading."

"Alrighty then - sounds like someone dropped the onions out there – you two get some sleep now."

Rachel nodded in confusion as she watched Coach Beiste retreat and head down the campsite toward the other girl's tents, hoping to find Glee students who presumably weren't where they belonged. And as she re-zipped up her tent she turned to find a wide- eyed, half naked blonde staring up at her from beneath a sleeping bag. Rachel sighed – completely released from her mood of arousal and opted instead for snuggling up under the sleeping bag as well – curling her fingers tightly around Quinn's bare waist as she laid her head against her warm collarbone.

"That effectively ruined our endeavors for the evening didn't it?"

She heard Quinn let out a shaky laugh before placing a delicate kiss to Rachel's scrunching nose.

"It doesn't matter - who wants their first time with someone they care about to be in a drunken haze – and both of us? We're totally drunk…hopefully you won't hate me tomorrow – this was all my fault."

Rachel returned the kiss with assurance and care and love – placing it tenderly against Quinn's perfect lips.

"I'm glad you're here. I won't ever regret it – will you stay with me tonight?

"Are you sure?."

"I am for now – that's all I can ask for, isn't it?."

/ - /

When Rachel woke up she was overcome with the smell of vanilla and apricots rifling her system – and she breathed it in, inhaling the flavor of it entirely – bringing back her memories of the night before – unaware if it was all a dream or not – still unsure if her mind was simply playing cruel tricks with her. And then she felt a warm hand drawing circle patterns on her hip under the blankets and she opened her eyes slowly – letting them fall to her side where Quinn Fabray lay with her eyelids squinted open against the sun, her arm still draped over Rachel as her fingers toyed with the brunette's soft skin. Rachel smiled – happier than need be at the realness of it all. It wasn't a figment of her overactive imagination – Quinn was still here, and they were both still half naked, wrapped into one another in the early Michigan morning. Rachel sighed lowly – exhilarated, calm, serene in the blonde's careful embrace – and she watched as Quinn turned her eyes on her now awake form – smiling at her warmly.

"Morning."

She said lightly, almost curiously as those hazel eyes flashed brightly before dimming coolly – as the smile faded slowly from the blonde's face as worry and doubt traipsed across her features.

"I—I don't have to stay. I can leave may—"

Rachel frowned and wrapped herself back into Quinn even tighter than before. Kissing her against her hot, sun-kissed shoulder as she squeezed her to herself – holding her tightly as she fervently shook her head.

"No, babe…don't go. Stay. Just a little bit longer."

Quinn nodded and Rachel watched as a small smile crept up into the blonde's face as she sighed. The two girls fell back into a light sleep as the sun rose on the horizon – and an hour or so later when Quinn had gotten up reluctantly to return to her tent so that she could shower and get dressed – Rachel couldn't held but feel at a total loss – and she wasn't amiss to the sadness Quinn showed to leave her.

/ - /

Their last day of camping. It was amazing.

The day was spent canoeing and kayaking down the St. Clair in pairs and groups – unlike every other day, the glee kids got to choose their partners for their canoes. Rachel smiled brightly at the blonde who was walking next to her. Their hands brushed occasionally on the decent down to the river bank and as they talked to one another animatedly Rachel grew faintly aware of how bizarre this must have all looked to their club mates - Quinn Fabray and Rachel Berry actually getting along – leaving the bonfire together the night before, and now voluntarily sharing a canoe – it was as if the entire universe had flipped on its axis.

Rachel laughed at the glare Quinn had given her as the blonde wobbled as she attempted to sit down inside of the canoe – they paddled together, Quinn in front, and Rachel in the back – racing in the lead against Puck and Mike. Rachel watched the blonde squeal as Brittany jumped in the water and swam over to their canoe, splashing them collectively with water as they paddled. Rachel could see Santana reading her magazine lazily in the rear and smiled at the Latina's predictability. By the end of the canoe trip they were all exhausted and given a few hours of free relaxing time before dinner. And so it was now that Rachel wandered out back towards the river looking for Quinn. She found the blonde perched up on her rock again, and she didn't have her book of poetry this time. Instead Rachel smiled as she watched the blonde gaze off at the sunset – her eyes dark and lost in the hues of red, orange and purple – the brunette sighed – because how could such beauty be real?

"Quinn…?"

She whispered as she approached the broad stone – she grabbed for it, and pulled herself up – her eyes drifting up to catch the blonde smiling down at her brilliantly as her hair fell back in the breeze.

"You made it."

Rachel smiled in return – and before she could collect her thoughts she pulled Quinn toward her and kissed her passionately on the lips, welding them together as the sun and moon danced before them against the crystalline water. When Rachel pulled back for air she was panting slightly and fell apart at the image before her – pale, blushed skin – tanned from the weeks adventures – kiss swollen dewy lips and hazel eyes dark as the sea.

"I've been waiting for you to do that all day."

Was all she heard before the blonde attacked her. Their tongues battling in divine ecstasy as they fought for their mutual desire. Rachel leaned back too far and fell off of the rock into the grass below and Quinn followed, stumbling forward as they both laughed in between heated kisses and hot caresses.

As the sun fell behind the mountains Rachel came apart – the blonde's hands were everywhere on her body and yet nowhere. She could feel fingers mapping out her toned skin and legs and she could vaguely feel them moving her shirt up to her neck exposing her bra. She looked down as Quinn descended, her tongue lashing out to pull at the fabric of her bra – hovering over her pert peaks – they were begging, no pleading, to be touched.

And then they were – the blonde pulled the material aside and then Rachel could feel her nipple being delicately, sinfully ravaged by hot diligent lips. Her core ached as she arched her muscles tensing in the delight of it all. She moaned out as Quinn's tongue worked first at one and then the other nipple – taking them for her own as Rachel's hands tugged at the blonde's neck and hair - truing to obtain more of her…she needed more.

"Quinn - _god_, that feels _so good_."

And as her mind began to unravel – Rachel's hands took on a mission of their own. She trailed them down the blonde's back, settling on beautiful hips before skirting playfully at the hem of Quinn's shorts. Before the blonde could react small hands were reaching past the waistband and through the blonde's underwear to grab at her glorious backside – Rachel squeezed her palms and moaned as she pushed Quinn down into her by the ass – the blonde before her groaned out against a pert nipple as her body careened into Rachel's arching one - their cores thrumming together deliciously with the friction. Quinn let go and leaned forward - recapturing Rachel's mouth before the brunette palmed her ass again, sending them rubbing against each other wantonly in the approaching moonlight.

Quinn groaned as her eyes rolled back – her cheeks were cherry flushed and Rachel whimpered at the sight before her. She watched as Quinn re-opened their eyes, they were almost brown in the darkness and she watched as Quinn brought her hips down again of her own accord, dropping her head as she rubbed herself against Rachel's thigh and hip. The brunette almost died right there and then Quinn was staring back down at her again – her eyes much too bright and Rachel looked into them - trying to capture their unease, and then it clicked.

"I – I've never d –"

Rachel was overcome with the emotion of it. She knew what Quinn would say before the blonde had even begun to speak in their combined heat. She remembered the game from the night before – and she remembered Quinn's answers. She should have been shocked – but the revelation that Quinn had never masturbated or really been touched aside from that one drunken tryst with Puck that never really amounted to much pleasure (she concluded…I mean it was Puck, he only ever thought about himself) had completely broken her. Sure, Rachel was still a virgin per se – but she was no stranger in the joys of self- pleasure.

"It's okay Quinn - tell me if you want to stop. But either way – It doesn't matter, I'm _with_ you, that's all I need right now. Just you."

And then she watched as the blonde sighed out in relief – letting the tears fall as she moved her hips again against Rachel's hip – sighing again at the frictional pleasure of it. Rachel kissed Quinn's closed eyelids tenderly and softly as their bodies moved together under the stars – her won shirt pulled up around her collarbones and her bra undone. Her hands on Quinn's ass worked and before she could contain them she brought one forward to move between their writhing, sweating bodies. She caught Quinn's widened eyes in question and want. Begging her for an answer because she would stop at the slightest unease, but as the blonde nodded – Rachel caved into herself and moved a warm hand into the front of Quinn's underwear under her shorts – finding a trimmed patch of curls there and the hot, nob she was looking for – god Quinn was so wet. It was a revelation and Rachel moaned as she rubbed her digits against Quinn's core - intertwining them between her folds, and letting them touch and move of their own accord as she watched the blonde's widened eyes splay themselves in the shocking pleasure of it all. Quinn cried out as she felt Rachel's hand moving against her, on her – almost inside of her and Rachel felt the girl's hips buck wildly into her own with fervent need.

"Rachel."

Quinn moaned out through guttural whispers as she bucked into Rachel's hips over and over again – both Rachel's hand and her own core pounding together at the perfect rhythm. Both girls still partially clothed – and it turned Quinn on even more. Rachel shook as she felt a soft, curious hand match her own – finding itself inside of Rachel's pants, tangled at her core – she looked up at a worried Quinn and nodded her okay as Quinn began to move her fingers against her thrumming clit.

Rachel almost came right then and there as their lips met disjointedly – their tongues moving with desire laden languidness as they dripped all of their shared love for the other in every caress and every taste. The heat was almost unbearable. And then Rachel entered a digit into Quinn's dripping center – slowly she brought it between tight walls, letting her thumb skirt over the blonde's nub over and over again.

Hazel eyes squinted closed as the blonde's hips buck faster – the rhythm of their tryst completely lost as Quinn copied her move for move. Letting her fingers begin their descent – Rachel cried out as she felt Quinn enter her softly but with beautiful pressure. And then they were kissing fervently now as their fingers dueled against the other. Matching their bucking hips against the other against the grass.

Rachel turned her head up in ecstasy as Quinn's hot lips found her throat as they humped against one another – fingers deep as they rose higher and higher in the plethora of it all. Her brown eyes caught a shooting star against the night sky – and just as it began to fade Rachel looked up again into Quinn's blazing eyes and lost all control.

"_Oh, no –shit_. Quinn, don – _please_."

Her mouth spewed out incoherencies as she rose to the ascension of her orgasm. Her muscles tensed and her back rose off the ground as the universe caved in around her – and all she could taste, see, hear, and feel was Quinn Fabray as the tremors pounded within her from her core.

"Rachel…I think I'm – I'm co – _fuck."_

The blonde was there as well. And as Rachel came undone she saw Quinn do the same. Her hips bucking wildly with the weight of her orgasm as her mouth widened and her fingers clenched against Rachel's skin – finding her breasts as she rode out the waves of her orgasm – Rachel's name on her kiss swollen lips as she came wonderfully against her.

As the aftershocks trickled off Rachel was left lying against the cool grass with heavy lids – She smiled as she felt Quinn's body melt into her own – their skin equally hot and sweaty with exertion. She wrapped her tired arms around Quinn's torso – secretly loving the feel of the blonde's skin against her own.

Quinn's eyes were still closed as she panted in and out to catch her breath – her beautiful chest rising and falling against Rachel's in the starlight.

"Quinn…" Rachel sighed as she kissed every inch of the blonde's sleepy face. Making them linger – making them indelible. And then the blonde looked up – her eyes back to shimmering hazel as she looked down at Rachel compassionately.

"Have you ever been to the Redwood forests of California?

It was an odd question to ask, but Rachel shook her head slowly – more content with the look of absolute beauty and love radiating off of Quinn's face as the blonde stared down at her.

"Well – I went once. When I was a little girl. We drove there on a family trip, we wove through Napa Valley and the mountains – ending in San Diego. But my favorite part about that entire road trip west was when we saw the redwood forests up north. Trees as tall and wide as the clouds in the sky."

Rachel nodded – entirely captivated now – wrapped up in Quinn to the brim.

"There was one that I had seen. It was taller than the rest in its cluster of forestry. It looked like any other; the bark red and wispy. But as I looked up into the sky – trying to catch a glimpse of the canopy I was overcome with the beauty of it. It was gorgeous – and I've never felt so at peace – as when I felt right then, at seven years old, playing in a field of redwoods…until I found this."

Her eyes skirted down and fell onto Rachel's and the brunette lost her breath.

"I've never known a peace like that, until you."

And just as Rachel was about to burst at the seams – she felt Quinn's lips fall to her own and trace a pattern against them – branding them with all the love and peace the blonde had to offer.

/ - /

The next morning – and the brunette felt it bittersweet.

She was never one for camping – but she sighed at the loss of it all – the meaning behind her newfound adventure with Quinn. The blonde had joined her in her tent again that night – the two tracing patterns of love and desire to hold onto forever. Unsure whether or not it would be interchangeable in the real world.

Rachel bit back the tears as she folded her tent with the help of Coach Beiste, and she let them fall as they all made their way back to the main road to catch their coach bus back to civilization – passing her and Quinn's rock as they made their exit. She watched Quinn do much the same – the blonde didn't cry, no – but the sadness was written all over her face – and her hazel eyes swam with loss.

Rachel couldn't stand their distance as they made their way down the dirt road – she re-captured Quinn's eyes over and over. Sighing whenever she spotted the blonde looking the sky. And in a moment of unplanned emotion Rachel made her way forward through the throng of Glee Clubbers towards Quinn. Santana and Brittany flanked her, and just as the Latina opened her mouth to protest Berry's intrusion, the brunette completely lost herself.

"Treasure Trail – What the fuck? Who said we wanted you up here walking with u—"

Rachel had looked past Santana and straight into Quinn's wide eyes. They locked on one another for what seemed like an eternity – and before Santana could continue her empty threats, Quinn was rushing forward brining their lips together in a searing kiss.

There were catcalls and whistles coming from Artie and Puck – but neither girl had noticed, as the other got lost in the moment – tongues piercing tongues, and lips caressing one another in the sunlight.

They were forced apart by the loud voice of Mr. Schuester – shocked no less – but still the chaperone.

"Alright ladies – enough of that. Break it up, keep it PG please."

There was a not so quiet "God, finally – the sexual tension between them was becoming almost too much to handle," From a disgusted Kurt (he was never one for public displays of affection).

Rachel and Quinn broke apart – both girls blushing as all eyes were on them as they linked their hands and continued on their walk to the upcoming bus. Rachel looked up into Quinn's eyes and smiled brightly as she squeezed the blonde's tender hand just as they were making their way to the steps.

"You know – I think I have fallen for you Quinn Fabray."

Quinn smiled back as she pulled Rachel into an empty seat – kissing her softly on the lips before turning them both toward the overlarge window at the vast view before them.

"I fell for you a long time ago. But it's nice to know that I've found my little bit of peace in this world."

Rachel smiled out of the window with Quinn…watching as the dirt road kicked up behind them as the bus set into gear – green and yellow trees flew past her vision quickly as she sighed.

"A yellow wood. "

Quinn turned to her then, her eyebrow crinkling.

"Robert Frost was right…I chose you – and it has definitely made all of the difference."


End file.
